Azure Local addresses the complexities of managing distributed IT environments by providing a unified, centralized platform. It offers zero-touch provisioning, automates patching, updates drivers and firmware, and ensures hardware is always running the latest, most secure software. Azure Local also supports diverse workloads, including running virtual machines and Kubernetes clusters on their infrastructure, with Azure Kubernetes Service built in to simplify containerized workload management. It extends Microsoft’s portfolio of managed services, including Azure Virtual Desktops, Azure AI services and data services, directly to on-premises and edge locations.
Key takeaways:
- Azure Local, a new hybrid and edge computing platform by Microsoft, extends the power of Azure to on-premises and edge environments, allowing organizations to deploy and manage applications across diverse infrastructures.
- Azure Local is an extension of Azure Arc, enabling businesses to treat physical, bare-metal servers as if they were cloud resources, thus unifying the management of on-premises, edge and cloud environments.
- With Azure Local, Microsoft has rebranded and restructured its Azure Stack portfolio. Azure Stack HCI is now part of Azure Local, reflecting Microsoft's vision of unifying its hybrid cloud products under a single, adaptive framework.
- Azure Local supports diverse workloads, automates lifecycle management, and provides a unified, centralized platform for managing distributed IT environments. It also ensures business continuity even when connectivity to the cloud is lost, making it a robust solution for mission-critical environments.